Chapter 45
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“What ? ” Liam and Hannah exchanged a stunned glance , disbelief flashing between them .
Liam recovered first , his voice steady as he said , “ Hannah , po take a shower , I’ll meet with him .”
Hannah , ever une to pry into private matters – especially ones she had no business being present for – modded without hestation . “ Alright . ”
The door closed softly behind her , Liam descended the stairs , selling onto the couch with casual elegance , reaching for his coffee with an air of effortless
refinement .
The butler stood quietly to the side , waiting . At Liam’s curt order- “ Let him in “ -he bowed his head and replied , “ Yes , si
Liam took a sip of coffee just as a squat , disheveled middle – aged man limped into view .
The man wore drab , ill fitting clothes ; one pant leg was longer than the other . A battered wooden cane chudded against the floor with each unmen step
His face was narrow and hollow – cheeked , his chin lost beneath a rough mess of black and white stubble
The moment Liam laid eyes on him , his hand jerked violently , his teeth clinking sharply against the rim of his cup .
In the few minutes he’d been waiting , Liam had imagined Aria’s ex – husband as some polished , successful man – perhaps one crippled by injury after the divorce, but nonetheless a rival worth noting .
He thought maybe the man had come to taunt him , to reclaim what he had lost
He had considered a hundred possibilities , but nothing could have prepared him for reality : A filthy , pitiful wreck of a man .
Liam didn’t care for Aria ; he looked down on her greed , her decent – but even he knew one thing
There was no way this man had ever been her husband
Setting the cup down with deliberate calm , he drawled , “ You’re claiming to be Aria’s ex – husband ? ”
Leaning back lazily against the couch , one leg casually crossed over the other , Liam steepled his fingers across his knoe and studied the man with a gaze that could cut glass .
The mans
shrank under his scrutiny , voice timid and halting . “ Yes , sir . My name’s Henry Lester I was Aria’s – well , Madelyn’s – ex husband . ”
Liam’s brows lifted ever so slightly . “ Madelyn ? ”
“ She went by that name before she leh Jamelan , ” Henry mumbled , daring a quick glance up before dropping his eyes toutoor once again ,
Liam frowned deeply . “ You expect me to take your word for it ? Where’s your proof ? ”
Henry sagged visibly , clutching his cane as though it were the only thing holding him upright
With a subtle nod from Liam , the butler quickly fetched a chai
Henry eased into it , some of the strain leaving his shoulders .
Liam’s voice was slow , almost bored , but laced with threat . “ If you can’t produce proof , I’ll have you arrested for slander ”
Aria’s reputation was already a liability . Any association with someone like this would drag Liam’s own standing through the mud .
“I have proof ! ” Henry cried , fumbling inside his threadbare coat before producing a crumpled , yellowed piece of paper .
A sour stench accompanied it , making Liam’s nose wrinkle in disgust . “ Put it on the table ,” he said coldly
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Henry did as told , mumbling , “ It’s a deed … a sale contract . Over a decade ago , Dominic sold his daughter to me – to be my child bride . ”
“ Child bride ? ” Liam stared at him , stunned . “ Dominic is Aria’s foster father ? ”
He couldn’t believe his ears , in this day and age , there were still things like child brides .
Aria had been sold to this man ,
Henry’s head hung low , his yoice thick with regret . “ I’d known the wasn’t Dominic’s real daughter , I never would’ve signed . ”
Liam’s gaze dropped to the so – called deed on the table .
One thousand dollars .
Dominic had sold his daughter for one thousand dollars .
Suppressing a surge of revulsion , Liam kept his expression cold . Henry hurried to explain , “ I only took Madelyn in out of pity intended to raise her like a goddaughter … to send her off in marriage properly . ”
Tears welled in Henry’s eyes as he spoke , his voice breaking with emotion . “ I cared for her … sacrificed for her . But in the end … to get back into the Saxon family , she crippled my leg with a kitchen knife . ”
“ It’s a blessing that she married Mr. Cole . I don’t ask for anything else , I just want to get some money to heal my leg , ” said Henry
He clutched his cane , struggled to his feet , and then dropped heavily to his knees with a loud thud . “ Mr. Cole , ” he sobbed , “ you’re her husband now . I’m handing over this contract to you . I only ask for a little money – to fix my leg . ”
Liam regarded him coolly . He believed the story already . “ Fine , ” he said after a beat . “ I’ll give you one hundred fifty thousand dollars ”